Good news? First Muslim woman set for US Congress

A Palestinian grows in Detroit.

Jack Engelhard, 15/08/18 15:10 | updated: 15:06

Jack Engelhard

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Jack Engelhard

Jack Engelhard’s classic international bestselling novel Indecent Proposal, which later became a worldwide hit movie, has been republished to meet readers’ demands. His other major works include Compulsive: A Novel, his award-winning post-Holocaust Montreal memoir Escape from Mount Moriah, plus Slot Attendant: A Novel About A Novelist. His website: www.jackengelhard.com

Michigan’s Rashida Tlaib is on the way to representing her district in the upcoming Congress. It’s a First and The New York Times thinks this is great news.

The rest of us don’t know. We’ll wait and see.

At the moment, we’ll let the Times tell us more. The headline runs as follows – “Palestinian heritage infuses her Detroit sense of community.”

Already a problem. To some of us, “Palestinian heritage” connotes suicide bombers and terrorists. But that should not mean she rates that tag. We simply don’t know.

The paper continues, “In November, Ms. Tlaib (pronounced ta-LEEB), a daughter of Palestinian immigrants, may become the first Muslim woman to serve in Congress. “

Well, this is America. Why not? By the way, Palestinian Muslim men and women serve in Israel’s congress, the Knesset, so something like this would be no news in the Jewish state.

The Times, let’s face it, would never mention anything so favorable to Israel.

The paper goes on – “Her victory in the Democratic primary last week, though narrow, all but guarantees her election, as she is running unopposed in a very blue district that Representative John Conyers Jr. held for more than half a century. (She could be joined by another Muslim woman, Ilhan Omar, who is on the ballot in Minnesota Tuesday night).”

Okay, so that’s two. Or as some might say – That’s how it starts. Must say that Sadiq Khan and Jeremy Corbyn in the UK are not reassuring personalities.

The Times continues – “An attorney and single mother of two boys, Ms. Tlaib, who was a state representative in Michigan for six years, plans to take up Detroit’s civil rights heritage in her own way. She champions progressive policies like Medicare For All, a $15 minimum wage and abolishing ICE, and is both a Democrat and a democratic socialist, though she said she eschews labels.”

Another democratic socialist? Obviously, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez isn’t one and done. They keep on coming.

Yes, labels are unfair. Jewish people know this best of all.

The Times continues – “Already, her story offers a remarkable counterpoint to anti-Muslim policy and sentiment rising around the country, and especially to President Trump, who has banned travel from several majority-Muslim countries. Ms. Tlaib drew national attention when she confronted Mr. Trump during his 2016 speech to the Detroit Economic Club.”

Excuse me? What anti-Muslim sentiment rising around the country? Where? What country? Not this country. Jews are 40 times more likely to be harassed and hounded, especially on campus. As reported in The Washington Post – “Jews are consistently the most targeted religious group.”

The Times continues – “In a year when a record number of women are running for Congress, and races across the country include gay, lesbian and transgender candidates and many people of color, Ms. Tlaib, 42, represents a new addition to the mosaic of American politics.”

Are any men running for Congress? Or are we finished?

The Times continues – “The symbolic importance of her new role was only starting to sink in as Ms. Tlaib walked into the women’s entrance of her family’s mosque on Friday for afternoon prayers.”

Now hold on.

Look, every house of worship deserves to be respected. But sometimes when we hear the word mosque – we duck or run for cover. You’d think it would be different in the United States.

But it isn’t, as writer Paul Sperry pointed out in the New York Post – “Over the past six months, at least five prominent US imams have been caught on tape preaching violence against Jews in sermons at mosques across America. Yet these radical preachers inciting anti-Semitic violence aren’t prosecuted or even permanently banished by the leadership of their mosques.”

He is the author of the international book-to-movie bestseller “Indecent Proposal” and most recently the two inside journalism thrillers “The Bathsheba Deadline” and “News Anchor Sweetheart, Hollywood Edition.” Engelhard is the recipient of the Ben Hecht Award for Literary Excellence. Website: www.jackengelhard.com